When charismatic leadership goes too far

CONNECTING

In most cases, charisma is a useful quality for CEOs. Many work hard to develop charismatic skills. Especially when an organization is asked to become more innovative and to perform beyond normal levels, having followers with an unusually strong belief in the leader and their vision increases the odds of success. Charismatic leaders are skilled at articulating a compelling vision that inspires followers. They’re also adept at reading the environment and sensing the needs of followers to tailor a message that will have the most impact. Charismatic leaders are good storytellers who use symbolism and metaphor to make stories come alive.

But charisma can be a slippery slope. If it grows too powerful, the leader becomes ineffective at motivating others and at driving the business. Over time, deepening loyalty creates negative changes in the leader’s behavior. A leader must be attuned to early signs of this shift from positive to negative, which is harder than it sounds.

What should leaders be aware of to prevent a slide down this slope? Charismatic leadership is as seductive for the leader as for followers, and the better one is at it, the easier it is to be blind to signs of trouble. While both leader and followers have responsibility to manage their relationship, the leader has far more power to determine the outcome. If he or she does not allow for feedback and dissent, followers will accommodate rather than push back.

Because each situation is different, there aren’t steps that will  always avoid or solve problems. In general, though, there are two areas where leaders, especially charismatic ones, should concentrate.

First, sliding down the slippery slope will be less likely if the culture emphasizes open communication, including a structured method to extract learning from every success and mistake. Forums must exist where the big bets of the strategy are debated, including a talent plan that ensures a match between the strategy and the people who must achieve it. Feedback must be a company norm that people are trained in, and it must be encouraged and rewarded.

Second, on the personal front, the keys for the leader are self-awareness and self-management. Being self-aware is, in effect, believing there’s a camera filming every move one makes, a humbling mindset that encourages leaders to view themselves as followers do. The leader must make the choice to let others in on their thinking; the right people could include a board member and direct reports with the skills and the license to offer advice.

Charisma can help a leader be very effective and an organization thrive even during difficult times. But avoiding its dark side requires the leader to add attention to the culture, self-awareness, self-management and, perhaps most of all, the humility necessary to truly listen.